You become an average of the 5 people you spend your energy with.

One of the key reasons why a job you love can become a drain is because of the energy of the people you are surrounding yourself with. 

Have you ever noticed how predictable it is when you see or speak to a colleague first thing on a Monday?

“Here we go again”

“Don’t worry just 5 days to go until the weekend”

“Same shit different week.”

As the week progresses:

‘Half way there, it’s nearly over’

‘TFIF’

I swear I used to feel a part of my soul leave my body when these conversations happened. 

Like it or not, the people you work with will be impacting your energy every single day. 

Collectively organisations refer to this as the ‘company culture’. But here’s the thing, no matter how many ‘values posters’, ping pong tables or virtual escape rooms you do, the real culture is made by the small conversations that happen every day and impact how you feel at work. 

How you feel at work is what informs your experience of your day and ultimately your job. So if you also find the life being sucked out of you by the type of conversations that happen at work then it’s time to change your environment. ASAP.

Working with people who are intentional about their career, and doing purposeful work they believe in is a game-changer. 

• It’s okay to outgrow your team and even your work bestie.
• Real friends will stay friends with you outside of work.
• You can still respect your peers and realise you have outgrown them.

A fulfilling career sounds like an energised team that are having inspiring and energised conversations that don’t drain the life out of you. 

But you already know this. I’m giving you permission to act on it.

Here are some suggestions to cope whilst you are in work:

• join an ERG you are not currently part of 
• offer to be a mentor
• seek out mentorship, secondment or internal roles 
• invite a peer you respect, but don't know well to a coffee (even over zoom)
• stop and have a conversation with a senior leader you don't normally work with

If the thought of all of this fills you with dread then maybe it's time for change....

Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash